Four years after the introduction of the euro, this paper provides an overview of the current structure and integration of the euro area financial systems and related policy initiatives. We first compare the euro area financial structure with that of the United States and Japan. Using new and...

In 2007, 5.6 million persons were employed in EU27 financial services. 65% of these worked in banks, 20% in the insurance industry and 15% for intermediaries. The sector represented 2.7% of total employment in Europe. Between 2000 and 2006, data from the Labour Force Survey shows a shift of...

This article addresses the relationship between the real economy and the financial sector, asking the question: to what extent does the crisis in the financial sector cast a shadow on economic activity? Various potential linkages are investigated, for example the impact of credit restrictions on...